Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-02-12
AN ENOCH ARDEN CASE.
How Two North Carolina Husbands Dis.
posed of Their One Wife.


posed of Their One Wife.
Near unto three-quarters of century
ago all the land hereabout belonged
to man named Shepherd, gentleman
who had lived to the years of we'll
seasoned celibacy, acquiring meantime
liberal fortune for those early Caro-.
lima days. On creek, few miles in
land, there lived seafaring man
known as Captain Dill, and he made a
good woman his wife, who bore him
two children. Shepherd was accus-
toned to visit the Dills, and friend
ship most commendable was maintain
ed for years.
Captain Dill went to sea in his
schooner and was overtaken by ter
riiic storm, which dismantiel his craft,
leav ng the hulk floating helplessly out
of sight of land, with no living soul on
board but Dill. The SO ond day he
was sighted by French bark, taken
Dn board, and carried to Havre. Some
strange fancy prompted Dill to go to
Paris rather than seek passage back to
America. He remained for two years
or moro at the French capital
making precarious livelihood, and
if he wrote to his wife on the far
away coast of Carolina no letter reach
ed her. Indeed mail facilities in those
earl y days were not to be depended
upon, and they are not reliable even
now.
Mrs. Dill, hearing nothing of her
husband, or his vessel, mourned him as
lost. For two long years still the
regulation period, l believe-she
mourned in widows weeds and down
cast eyes, struggling to support herself
and children. Shepherd mingled his
tears with his widow friend, and, when
little scraps OF white began to an
nounce the near conclusion of her sor-
rowing, ventured smile when q brinv
pearl was barely expected. Then his
visits increased in frequency and
length, until the indi; atoms warranted
his laying his heart and his fortune at
her feet. She picked up both, and be-
came Mrs. Shepherd. In due time she
bore Mr.. Shepherd son.
One sunny September afternoon,
when the leaves were browning in the
cemetery of Beaufort, Capt. Dill
stepped upon the dock at that ancient
borough and was welcomed by his
friends as one given back to them by
the sea. He learned of the marriage
OF his wife to Shepherd, and none
spoke unkindly of the woman, who had
acted in the fullest faith of her widow
hood. Then he rowed his boat over to
the old homestead on the creek, but
now deserted since Shepherd had re-
moved the family to his own home, a
few miles distant on another creek of
equal linpidness.
After resting day or so in the old
haunts, Dill entered his boat and pad
died leisurely toward the Shepherd
home of his wife. Mrs. Shepherd said
she was glad to see him, but Shepherd
was somewhat mixed in his feelingsA
Nevertheless they Hospitality enter
tanned him, and that night, when the
three children had been tucked in their
trundle-beds, they talked the embar-
RAISING matter over. Dill wanted his
wife and so did Shepherd. They slept
over the intricate controversy, and the
next morning both husbands submitted
the dispute for final decision with Mrs.
Dill-S shepherd, their wife, Tho hus-
bands stroIled down to the beach and
gave her two hours for cogitation.
When they returned she announced
her intention of remaining Mrs. Shep-
herd. The two husbands shook hands,
and parted, Dill to resume his vocation
on the sea. Shepherd to continue his
farming and trading, the children to be
reared by the latter.
Not quite a year elapsed before
Shepherd lay down and died, thereby
unraveling one strand OF the twisted
up knot. Din did the tear mingling
act on this occasion, and after awaiting
sufficient time to avoid the suspicion
of heartlessness, presented his claim as
her lawfully welded husband. Mrs.
Dill was quite willing, but only after
license and marriage ceremony. Dill
submissively bought the license and
employed a parson, and Mrs. Dill
Shepherd clipped the shepherd" from
the back end of her name. And bless
you, she did more. She lived to a ripe
old age, and buried Dill as she had
buried poor Shepherd. -MCrehead (N.
Co. letter.